February 15th, 2009 by Kathleen
The tradition of angel art is very old and much loved. There are so many great classic paintings that we usually feature angel paintings from earlier eras. Sometimes, though, a modern painting offers as much beauty and inspiration for some people.
Inspiration is a blessing, wherever we may find it.
May you be blessed with inspiration or whatever is for the highest good.
Inspiration Angel Giclee Print
Babikan, Rosemary
20 in. x 16 in.
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Flowers have spoken to me more than I can tell in written words. They are the hieroglyphics of angels, loved by all men for the beauty of the character, though few can decipher even fragments of their meaning. ~Lydia M. Child
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February 8th, 2009 by Kathleen
Doesn’t the garden in the photo below seem like a wonderful place of serenity for prayer and meditation, no matter what your religious beliefs?
Imagine sitting among the beautiful flowers, watched by the gentle eyes of this guardian angel sculpture.
Does an angelic presence dwell in this garden?
Having a serene place to meditate and pray. What a blessing!
Celestial Garden
Art Print by Birkenstock,…
11.5 in. x 17.1875 in.
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It is not known precisely where angels dwell—whether in the air, the void, or the planets. It has not been God’s pleasure that we should be informed of their abode. —Voltaire
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February 5th, 2009 by Kathleen
Judaism, Christianity and Islam are known as the Abrahamic religions. All three honor the patriarch Abraham, whose faith was so great that he was willing to sacrifice his own son because God told him to.
In the painting Abraham with Three Angels, by the Renaissance master Rembrandt van Rijn, Abraham is sitting outdoors, conversing with angels.
It is interesting to note that Rembrandt seldom used the color blue. Supposedly that was because at the time, blue paint was made with precious stones, such as lapis lazuli, and was extremely expensive. That’s why he uses mainly browns and other earth colors.
Yet Rembrandt manages to make his angels glow with light. He was, after all, a master the technique known as chiaroscuro, the dramatic depiction of light and shade.
Abraham Receives the Three Angels Giclee Print
Rembrandt van…
24 in. x 18 in.
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January 4th, 2009 by Kathleen
January Art Print
Mccrady, Carol
6 in. x 8.3125 in.
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Gabriel is the angel for January, according to this series of old paintings of the angels for each month. But, of course, he is much more than that.
In the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), Gabriel serves as a messenger from God. He first appears in the Book of Daniel in the Hebrew Bible.
Although generally referred to as an archangel, Gabriel is only referred to as an angel in the Bible. In Christian tradition, he is also sometimes regarded as the angel of death.
Gabriel has appeared so much in art and literature that a host of stories have grown up about him. Many of them are so familiar that most people do not realize that they did not originate in the Bible or other sacred texts. For example, it is from John Milton’s Paradise Lost that we get the story of Gabriel as chief of the angels that guard Paradise.
Both Christians and Muslims believe that Gabriel foretold the births of John the Baptist and Jesus. In the writings of the Bahá’í Faith, Gabriel is mentioned in Bahá’u'lláh’s mystical work Seven Valleys.
Islam further teaches that God revealed the Qur’an to Muhammad through the Gabriel, and that Gabriel sent a message to most prophets, if not all, revealing their obligations. Gabriel is called the chief of the four favoured angels and the spirit of truth.
In Christianity Gabriel is most famous for announcing to the virgin Mary that she is to be the mother of Jesus. There are thousands of paintings depicting the Annunciation. Because they depict angels in so many beautiful ways, some of those paintings will be displayed on this blog from time to time.
If they uplift our spirits and inspire us to better people, then angels, angel art, angel stories and beliefs are a blessing. May you have a blessed new year.
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January 1st, 2009 by Kathleen
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!
This is an old-fashioned greeting, the sort your great-mother might have sent—or her mother. It is sweet and sentimental, but the sentiment is real. Let us all pray for the health and happiness of everyone on earth this year.
When babies look beyond you and giggle, maybe they’re seeing angels. —Eileen Elias Freeman
Happy New Year, Cherubs on Ladder Art Print
12.5 in. x 18 in.
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December 27th, 2008 by Kathleen
I thought this African-American Angel was perfect to introduce Kwanzaa, which began on December 26 and lasts until January 1. Though mainly celebrated in the United States, Kwanzaa is celebrated in other countries, too.
Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Ron Maulana Karenga, Professor of Africana Studies, California State University–Long Beach. It was first celebrated from December 26, 1966, to January 1, 1967.
Kwanzaa celebrates African heritage and teaches principles of honoring the community and helping others. The seven days of celebration include activities such as candle-lighting and pouring of libations. They end with a feast and gift-giving.
Good Morning Lord Art Print
Varner Ll, Ernest…
30 in. x 25 in.
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Kwanzaa celebrates the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba, which Professor Karenga said “is a communitarian African philosophy” consisting of “the best of African thought and practice in constant exchange with the world.”
The seven principles of Kwanzaa are called Kawaida, a Swahili term for tradition and reason. Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the principles. Each day a candle is lighted and a libation poured in honor of the principle to which that day is dedicated:
- Dec. 26—Umoja (Unity) To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
- Dec. 27—Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
- Dec. 28—Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems and to solve them together.
- Dec. 29—Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
- Dec. 30—Nia (Purpose) To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
- Dec. 31—Kuumba (Creativity) To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
- Jan. 1—Imani (Faith) To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
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December 25th, 2008 by Kathleen
You might say that these are the true Christmas angels, not the one on the top of the Christmas tree. These little cherubs are a detail from the classic painting, Adoration of the Shepherds, by Nicolas Poussin.
Angels descending, bring from above,
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
—Fanny J. Crosby
Adoration of the Sheperds Art Print
Poussin, Nicolas
22 in. x 16 in.
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December 21st, 2008 by Kathleen
Angels help lift us up, but we need to also have high aspirations. Advertising genius Leo J. Burnett used to tell his staff, “When you reach for the stars, you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.” I think he was onto something that applies to spiritual matters as well as daily life.
So, help your guardian angel lift you up—by reaching for the stars. If you do not believe that there is an angel in charge of looking out for you, what about the angels in charge of keeping the Universe running smoothly? Maybe they could use some help. Could it be that we lift them up when we show our faith, enthusiasm, and high ideals?
Far from being a New Age concept, the idea that there is an angel in charge of each and every thing is a very old one. We know it dates back at least to St. Augustine, who wrote:
Every visible thing in this world is put in the charge of an angel.
—St. Augustine
Reach for the Stars Art Print
Jane, Lisa
16 in. x 20 in.
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Angels to watch over each of us. I’d all that a major blessing. How about you?
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December 19th, 2008 by Kathleen
It is unusual to see modern angel paintings with dark wings, although dark wings were very common in the great angel art of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
I love the idea of an angel bringing night…and stars…and sleep…and rest…and dreams.
Also, somehow this painting reminds me of a quotation from Lord Byron.
The Angels were all singing out of tune,
And hoarse with having little else to do,
Excepting to wind up the sun and moon
Or curb a runaway young star or two.
—Lord Byron
Night with Her Train of Stars Art Print
Hughes, Edward…
32 in. x 24 in.
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December 8th, 2008 by Kathleen
There are many concepts of the guardian angel, but this image of children guarded by a lovely angel as they cross a rickety bridge over roaring rapids is a sentimental favorite. Many children and adults over the years have been comforted by this angelic vision. I hope you are, too.
How many times, do you suppose, do our guardian angels protect us, and we don’t even notice it?
The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone. —George Elliot
Heilige Schutzengel Art Print
11.8 in. x 15.74 in.
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Tags: angels, blog your blessings, flowers, hieroglyphics of angels, inspiration, Lydia M. Child
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